Manchester United and Manchester City line-up for a minute's silence to mark the 50th anniversary of the Munich disaster in 2008. Photograph: Tom Jenkins for the Guardian

Sir Alex Ferguson, the Manchester United manager, has welcomed the news that Manchester City officials are to lay a wreath at the memorial to the 1958 Munich air disaster on Tuesday.

"I think it's refreshing. We appreciate that from Manchester City and of course one of their former players was killed in the crash. It shows the game is not as bad as we often think. If that's the case, well done," Ferguson said.

Twenty-three people died when a plane carrying Manchester United players, officials and journalists back from a match against Red Star Belgrade in Yugoslavia crashed on the runway at the now-disused Munich-Reim airport on 6 February 1958.

Among those who lost their lives was the former Manchester City goalkeeper Frank Swift, who was reporting on the match for the News of the World.

A team of City delegates, in the German city for Tuesday's Champions League meeting with Bayern Munich, are to make the gesture at the memorial stone in the Manchesterplatz.